Blogtrepreneur Interview With Carrie Wilkerson

As we have all been interested in Social Media and strategically growing our networks online, I wanted to speak with someone who has successfuly grown their Twitter following to over 38,000 twitter followers.

I had the opportunity to interview Carrie Wilkerson of www.BlogBarefoot.com and on twitter at: http://twitter.com/barefoot_exec

Carrie Wilkerson is the voice of experience. From corporate life to teaching high school to direct sales, she has ‘been there and done that’ professionally and personally. An ‘overnight mom’ to 2 toddlers through adoption, her priorities instantly changed and so did her workplace.

She’s now built several businesses and coached others to do the same while overcoming extreme debt, losing 110 lbs and having 2 more children, for a total of 4, ages infant through 12! As “The Barefoot Executive,” Carrie and her network of experts have quickly become the definitive resource for helping women achieve extra income and career goals while working from home. Currently a mentor/coach/advisor to over 100,000 women (some men too) as the Barefoot Executive through videos, podcasts, masterminding, mentoring and live speaking.

Not only a business expert, but an expert IN Business, Carrie’s work-at-home methods have inspired thousands and recently earned her the Internet Marketer of the Year Award!

Adam: When people ask you what value social media has for their business what do you tell them?

Carrie: Social media is a tool for connecting meaningfully…it’s not an IMMEDIATE ROI, but definitely can help connect your audience powerfully

Adam: What makes you so passionate about social media?

Carrie: I am passionate about social media because it takes away the walls between my audience and I…and also between people I hope to learn FROM…it’s a very accessible media that has a lot of potential when used appropriately

Adam: Who are some people that are excellent examples of social media success?

Carrie: Chris Brogan (http://twitter.com/chrisbrogan), very engaging and informative

Gary Vaynerchuck (http://twitter.com/garyvee) – communicative, authentic and engaging

Mari Smith (http://twitter.com/MariSmith) – engaging, personable, informative and enthusiastic

Adam: What are the biggest mistakes people make when they are starting out using Twitter?

Carrie: The same mistakes they make in REAL life networking. Hi, my name is, I sell this, here is why you need to know me! ACKKKK – not effective.

Instead— hi, nice to meet YOU! What are you enthusiastic about? How can I encourage yOU?

Adam: What is the most exciting moment for you so far using Twitter?

Carrie: Just the response from people about the encouragement and enthusiasm I offer. The fact that people are listening and open to having their own cheerleader, coach and confidante is VERY thrilling to me!

Adam: How did you manage to get such a huge number of Twitter followers?

Carrie: I showed up. I got involved in conversation. I was interested in people. I am consistent.

Adam: What are your favorite tools that help you make the most of Twitter?

Carrie: TweetLater.com; TweetDeck.com and Search.Twitter.com

Adam: How do you see online business and social networking evolving in the next five years?

Carrie: I would not even VENTURE to predict honestly. Five years is an eternity online. I’d be foolish to speculate.

Adam: How do you know if you’re getting the most out of using Twitter?

Carrie: I don’t know that I am…but the fact that people ask questions, answer questions, offer advice, ask for advice and seem to really CARE about one another, is a huge part of building a community

Adam: What is your favorite part of working with social media?

Carrie: The interactiveness, the instant responsiveness. The ability to keep you finger on the PULSE of your audience in REAL time!

Interview with Yale College Young Entrepreneur

I recently had the opportunity to interview Yale College Entrepreneur Rich Littlehale. I was very impressed with their innovative company and their passion for assisting the environment and others through their entrepreneurial venture, You Renew!

Rich Littlehale is originally from Norwell, Massachusetts. He attends Yale University and majors in History and rowed on the varsity crew team. Before starting YouRenew.com, he founded Party For a Cause Foundation, which empowers and encourages college students to participate in or throw events for charity. Rich co-founded TwigTek in the spring of 2008 and has been working on it since. Besides entrepreneurship, Rich loves playing and watching sports and plays the guitar.

List the name of your company and website.

Company Name: TwigTek, LLC.

Website: www.YouRenew.com

Title: CEO

Industry: Electronics recycling

Type of company: Electronics buyback

Year founded: 2008

Location: New Haven, CT

Number of employees: 10 (growing)

1. What is the start-up story behind your business venture?

Both my co-founder, Bob Casey, and I wanted to do something “green.” I personally had a bit of an obsession with clean tech and green business in general. I think it’s the next great American industrial revolution (it better be anyway). We both saw “green” as a tremendous opportunity both for societal good and for new businesses. As college students, we didn’t have the funding or expertise to start a solar or wind company. But we were looking for something in the green space.

It became apparent in about May of 2008 to both of us there was an opportunity in used electronics. We then came across a company recycled and resold books and thought we could do it with electronics. It’s troubling to hear the number of electronic devices that end up in landfills every year. According to the EPA, recycling rates for cell phones are only about 10%. Once we learned about the chemicals in these devices such as: mercury, cadmium and lead, we were horrified about what people were throwing away. Another issue we had problems with was shipping these electronics overseas. The next big discovery, and the one that convinced us to go forward, was that, ironically, these electronics that people were throwing away were still valuable. I know it’s cheesy, but we discovered a way to make money and do good for the environment.

We started the company, TwigTek, at the end of May 2008 and our concept was to partner with charitable organizations and recycle old cell phones.  Bob stayed and worked at the Yale Entrepreneurial Institute on TwigTek for the summer and put together some great research about the market. I stayed at YEI to help Bob for the month of June but then went off to work at Lehman Brothers in investment banking for the rest of the summer.

At the end of the summer, we needed to make a decision about the company. While we had compiled a lot of great data and research about the market and ideas on how to attack it, we had no real business plan and no revenue. So I decided to take the year off from school and try and give it a shot (I wouldn’t advise this move to fellow collegians. Don’t take time off unless you have traction.) It meant I had to give up my offer at Lehman (which turned into Barclays), but it being senior year, as a rower, I knew the company would never move forward if we didn’t take a risk. We wouldn’t have the time to work on it. Bob stayed in school for the fall semester, but worked essentially full-time (He’s off school now too). We were extremely lucky to have the support of the Yale Entrepreneurial Institute and got an office in the incubator on campus.

We began the company working with and seeking charity partnerships. We were lucky to solidify partnerships with Special Olympics of Connecticut and United Way of Greater New Haven and developed local collection efforts through boxes at their events and through business reply mailbags that people could drop their phone in and send back in the mail for free. We launched two websites branded for these organizations in the hope to get people to recycle their old phones www.recycleforunitedway.org and www.cellphonesforspecialolympics.org.

But in early November there was a big paradigm shift in the company. I had spent the majority of the last two months trying to pitch charities: Sierra Club, American Cancer Society, and even went down to Washington DC for the day just to go pitch Save the Children Foundation. After various attempts to follow up, these organizations didn’t. Most ignored my calls and emails. It was this, on top of a trip to meet with marketing firm who told us our idea had no merit that Bob and I became frustrated with the model we were pursuing. We decided to focus on just United Way and Special Olympics on the charity side, but knew we needed to find another way to make this business work.

Paying people to sell back or recycle their old electronics was the answer we came up with and along came YouRenew.com.

2. What is your definition of success and has your company achieved it?

Success for us is gaining enough traction that business runs itself. That means the YouRenew.com brand is established and when people think, “I want to sell my electronics,” the first thing that pops in their mind is YouRenew.com. We’re not there yet, but we’re working on it!

3. To what do you attribute your company’s recent achievements?

Hard-work. We worked extremely hard and diligently for months on YouRenew.com. 

4. What three pieces of advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs?

1. Find a co-founder who balances your talents.

2. Share your idea and seek feedback. Success is 5% the idea and 95% execution. People aren’t going to steal your idea.

3. If you are doing a for-profit venture, make sure the ultimate goal is making money and then doing something cool. Make sure it is in that order because at the end of the day, businesses don’t succeed and your ideas aren’t going to be shared unless you make money.

5. What have been some of your failures, and what have you learned from them?

One of our biggest failures, and one that we still struggle with today, is lack of focus. When you’re starting a business, simplicity is king. If you’re trying to do 10 things at once, you’re not doing one thing well, which is all that really matters.

6. What pointers would you give to fellow Entrepreneurial College students on juggling school and business?

Try to get into a good schedule. Carve out specific hours in the day that you’ll work on school and specific hours of the day you’ll do business. Doing two things at once doesn’t work.

7. Describe/outline your typical day?

Every night at 6pm, the team has a 30-minute meeting (no longer) to outline what we’ve accomplished and what we need to do the next day. Based on what we decide our goals are for that day, we try to just attack one thing at a time, check it off and move on to the next thing. We get into the office by 9am and leave by 10pm.

8. Where did your organizations funding/capital come from and how did you go about getting it?

We raised a round of angel investment. Good family friends provided a few of the introductions to people who ended up investing. A few came introducing ourselves to investors at a pitch.

9. What stops you from throwing in the towel and giving up during those frustrating days of running your business?

We tried to take time to understand the risks associated with starting a business and just expect things to take 2-3x longer than initially planned. Having a co-founder(s) during tough times is very helpful. Usually when one of you is down, the other can help bring you back up. Lastly, if you believe at your core the idea will work, there is no frustration great enough to stop you.

10. Do you believe there is some sort of pattern or formula to becoming a successful entrepreneur?

I think to be a successful entrepreneur you need to be able to work-hard and stay focused for extended periods of time without many tangible results. Being naturally organized helps too, because being an entrepreneur is inherently disorganized and it helps to counteract that phenomenon. People who have an a keen understanding of the value of a dollar and how to make one helps also.

11. Who has influenced you most and been your greatest inspiration?

My Father. He’s not an entrepreneur, but he’s always pushed me to “go the extra mile” and take risks. I keep a copy of his business card taped to my laptop when I need the inspiration.

12. What book has inspired you the most?

“Made to Stick,” by Chip and Dan Heath. It’s about why some ideas survive and others die. This book shows how you can harness the power of an idea and make it stick with people. I’ve read it over 10 times.

13. How do you go about marketing your business? What has been your most successful form of marketing?

To be honest, we really haven’t started a big marketing push yet. The website just launched. I’d say so far, though, our most successful tactic has ironically just reaching out and asking people for advice and thoughts on what we’re doing. People generally respond well and usually talk about us to their friends.

14. In one word, characterize your life as an entrepreneur.

Driven.

15. Excluding yours, what company or business do you admire the most?

I admire Apple the most. It might be cliché, but I admire how after the company found itself in a rough patch for many years, it regrouped, and reignited its brand with some of the most innovate products ever released.

16. How do you achieve balance in your life?

I try to maintain a good schedule and set rules. For example, I try to work out every morning before go to work. It’s also good to take a planned day off once in a while where you promise yourself you won’t look at work or email.

17. Where do you see yourself and your business in 5 years? 10 years?

As I mentioned before, we’re looking for a business that runs itself. People are aware of the YouRenew brand and count on it to sell back or recycle their electronics – just like people count on McDonald’s for a hamburger.

18. If we could introduce you to anyone, who would it be and why? (you never know who we know!)

Two persons:

1. Al Gore: as a leader of the “green” movement, his advice and stamp of approval would be invaluable. He’s also a person I respect tremendously.

2. A major media/print editor who would be interested in featuring YouRenew in story! We think we have a great story and message - we just want people to hear about it!

The Definitive 5-Step Guide to Making Money Blogging

I’m so excited to announce that our brand new e-book entitled The Definitive 5-Step Guide to Making Money Blogging is now available for download exclusively at Blogtreprenuer.com.  Anyone who signs up for our newsletter will receive an email with a link that will allow them to download the book for free!

We’ve put a lot of work into making this a comprehensive reference tool for ambitious bloggers looking to take their site to the next level–and earn some real money.  The book discusses the “Five Myths About Making Money Blogging” and the “Five Secrets to Making Money Blogging” along with valuable advice that we’ve learned the hard way, through trial and error.

If you’ve been blogging for a while but are still not exactly sure how to make it profitable, you won’t want to miss this valuable and totally free resource.  We also hope you’ll let others know about the book, too!

We hope you’ll benefit from our research, hard work, and passion for blogging and entrepreneurship by reading and applying the tips in The Definitive 5-Step Guide to Making Money Blogging.

Top 50 “Mommy Blogs”

Our new Ebook The Definitive 5-Step Guide to Making Money Blogging (available for download now!) is not just for tech bloggers or CEO’s. Many a “mommy blogger” has found herself earning good money with her blog, writing about her family. In fact, any blog on any subject can become popular and earn you excellent revenues as long as its well-written.

We’d like to honor some of the best of the best here with our list of the Top 50 Mommy Blogs. These are blog that are written by women who have no real business agenda, except to write entertaining, informative and often humorous accounts of their adventures in motherhood. Enjoy!

1. The Mommy Blog (http://themommyblog.net/)

Don’t be fooled by the pastel color scheme. Melinda Roberts is a mom to be reckoned with. She recently published her book Mommy Confidential: Adventures from the Wonderbelly of Motherhood (available at Amazon.com).

From the site: Witty, sarcastic, and always engaging, Mindy chronicles her life, and that of her children. She tackles the good and the bad with a broad stroke and a sense of humor that give her writing depth and an emotional pull.

2. MommyBlog (http://www.mommyblog.com/)

Her husband set up a blog for her as a gift for her 32nd birthday and she’s taken the cyber ball and run with it!

3. Just Another Mommy Blog (http://tracey-justanothermommyblog.blogspot.com/)

A mommy blog about her daily flashes of brilliance (or, at least, highly glossed) regarding parenting.

4. Blonde Mom Blog (http://blondemomblog.com/)

A 39-year-old working mom to two girls trying to stay sane and away from the Barbie PopTarts. BlondeMomBlog is the No. 1 Google search result for “mom blog.”

5. Modern Mommy Blog (http://www.modernmommyblog.com/)

A 29-year-old mother to a lively 18 month old girl with a B.A. degree in Sociology. She works with at-risk families to teach them about child development and how to deal with the challenges of parenthood.

6. So Close (http://www.tertia.org/so_close/)

Forty-year-old South African mother to twins began blogging as a way to cope with infertility. Now that she’s been blessed with a set of boy/girl twins, she chronicles her daily adventures with them.

7. Kim Chi Mamas (http://kimchimamas.typepad.com/)

What better name for a blog written by a group of women mothering Korean American kids than Kimchi Mamas? They’re a little spicy, plenty fiery, and sometimes? They like to get pickled.

8. News From Hawkhill Acres (http://lillhawkins.com/)

Unschooling, Writing and Living in Maine - Mostly Humorously9. Hormone Colored Days (http://hormonecoloreddays.blogspot.com/)

Kim Moldofsky is a former dolphin trainer, corporate creativity trainer, and a potty trainer. Now she writes, blogs, consults on blog outreach, and does all matter of mom-things.

10. Writing Mamas Salon (http://writingmamassalon.blogspot.com/)

Each day on the Writing Mamas Daily Blog, a different member writes about mothering.

11. Joy Unexpected (http://www.joyunexpected.com/)

Written by a woman called “Y” who is addicted to Starbucks, reality TV and to getting really good deals through coupons and “club member” savings.

12. Soapbox Mom (http://soapboxmom.com/)

Soapbox Mom is filled with stories, cool tools, helpful articles, homework helpers, fun gadgets, home-keeping tips, party ideas, and whatever might help people enjoy parenting.

13. Sarcastic Mom (http://sarcasticmom.com/)

Anything’s game. Getting offended is a possibility. Laughing is required.

14. Mom101 (http://mom-101.blogspot.com/)

Liz is a writer and former ad-woman who is completely honest about her lack of experience in motherhood.

15. June Cleaver Nirvana (http://www.junecleavernirvana.com/)

Lives in Texas. Answers to Holly.. 3 lively off-spring of the male variety. One dog. One cat. Likes to write. Lives to play poker. Glamorous? Not often. More nirvana than June Cleaver. Perky. Suburban. Angst.

16. Absolutely Bananas (http://www.absolutelybananas.com/)

Mother. Coffee drinker. Information seeker. Skeptic. Creative. Dreamer. Schemer. Absolutely Bananas.

17. Crunchy Domestic Goddess (http://crunchydomesticgoddess.com/)

Amy Gates is a mama of two living in Colorado. She’s passionate about home birth, natural family living, urban homesteading and other “crunchy” things.

18. Committed Parent (http://committedparent.wordpress.com/)

A Mommy Blog written by a Daddy! Mark Brady, PhD is a father and social neuroscience educator. He’s also an award-winning author and the co-founder of the Children’s Grief Program in Palo Alto, California.

19. Play Groups Are No Place For Children (http://playgroupsarenoplaceforchildren.com/)

Jennifer is a thiry-ish mom, wife, former Speech-Pathologist, worry wart, bossaholic, control freak. Her claim to fame is that she’s the #1 search result on Google for “kids pooping in pools!!”

20. Mom To The Screaming Masses (http://momtothescreamingmasses.typepad.com/)

WANTED, Carmen, mom to the Masses, for dangerous undertakings inside and outside the home. Last seen with her partner The Hubster, and six accomplices. This fugitive is considered armed (with epi pens and inhalers) and dangerous, especially when she hasn’t had her morning coffee.

21. Mother Goose Mouse (http://mothergoosemouse.com/)

Julie Hudson is smart, funny, and has a first grader who’s destined for a career as a lawyer, a preschooler who can scream loud enough to shatter glass, a baby who’s already eating her out of house and home, and a husband who can drink his weight in Natty Light. She’s also inordinately concerned about the cleanliness of her kitchen floor.

22. Undomestic Diva (http://undomesticdiva.typepad.com/)

She does the best she can. When she feels like it.

23. Motherhood Uncensored (http://www.motherhooduncensored.net/)

She blogs to keep her head above water and her a$$ out of a psychiatric hospital! And because if she don’t tell her story, no one else will.

24. The Dalaimama (http://thedalaimama.net/)

The 14th Reincarnation of the Imperfect Woman. Dawn is a graduate student and adopted mommy to an Ethiopian born baby boy.

25. Crazy Bloggin Canuk (http://crazybloggincanuck.blogspot.com/)

Originally from Canada, relocated to Colorado via Salt Lake City where she gave up her wanderlust, travel-writin’ life to marry the love of her life. Shameless Mommy, Blogger, Devoted Wife, Frazzled Mother, Former Crazy Canuck Radio Personality, Prolific Publicist, Defender of Truth

26. Maniac Mommies (http://www.manicmommies.com/)

Working moms everywhere will hear themselves in the voices of Erin and Kristin, creators and hosts of Manic Mommies, the weekly podcast for moms trying to do it all!

27. Mother Bumper (http://www.motherbumper.com/)

Katie is a blogger who likes new things, loves old things, and admits to being slightly unstable.

28. Three Boys Under My Roof (http://3boysundermyroof.blogspot.com/)

Heather is a wife and mother of two boys. She has a second job as an engineer that isn’t as fun as the wife/mother gig, but it brings home the bacon.

29. Imaginary Binky (http://www.imaginarybinky.com/)

Sarah Porter writes a blog that she describes as an “imaginary binky.” That is, it soothes her as she furiously types out some diatribe about her life and family.

30. Girls Gone Child (http://www.girlsgonechild.net/)

Written by freelance writer and author Rebecca Woolf, she blogs about motherhood from Los Angeles, California.

31. Notes From the Trenches (http://www.notesfromthetrenches.com/)

Chris Jodran began blogging at Notes From the Trenches in 2004, never expecting more than a handful of people to ever read it. And half expecting that she would have to bribe even those few souls. Slowly her blog developed a following and has been nominated for several blog awards over the years.

32. This Full House (http://www.thisfullhouse.com/)

This Full House is a full-frontal encounter into Liz’s life as a SAHM, lover of multi-functional gadgets, slayer of ALL appliances proved slow and/or inefficient, with 4 children, 2 cats, 1 super hyper sock-eating chocolate lab and 2 damned much laundry.

33. And Baby Makes 6 (http://andbabymakes6.com/)

In August of 2007 Jody and her husband uprooted their family from the little town they loved and moved to the beach. They bought a 31 foot sailboat and now spend most of their free time torturing the kids by forcing them to cruise in what basically amounts to paradise.

34. Antique Mommy (http://antiquemommy.com/)

Sometimes Sweet. Sometimes Tart. But Always Real.

35. Gwendomama (http://gwendomama.blogspot.com/)

Failing at keeping expletives to a minimum while raising two live children, and trying to come to terms with the death of The Other One. She has an itty bitty obsession with food. In a good way.

36. Secret Agent Mama (http://secretagentmama.com/blog/)

Mother and extraordinarily talented photographer Mishelle Lane.

37. Whiskey In My Sippy Cup (http://www.whiskeyinmysippycup.com/)

She writes about how her momma didn’t love her, plays Food Network, and hilariously recounts her daily adventures as a mom in Colorado.

38. Temporarily Me (http://www.temporarilyme.com/)

A sister, a daughter, a wife, a mother, an employee, a computer addict, a freelance designer, a nag, a bitch, and yet oh! so! humorous.

39. Single SuperMama (http://www.flinger.us/supermama/)

She doesn’t really have a passion for writing, in and of itself. But she does have a passion for people. And for community, for families, for relationships, for all of us supporting each other.

40. Crunchy Carpets (http://crunchycarpets.com/)

Who is Crunchy Carpets is a Vancouver, B.C. mom with two insane children, and a Crunchy Husband she’s been married to for nine years.

41. Who’s the Boss Blog (http://www.whosthebossblog.com/my_weblog/)

During the day she bosses around men that are old enough to be her father. At home, she gets bossed around by a four year old boy who refuses to wear pants. It’s all in a day’s work. Who’s the Boss? Momma is, that’s who.

42. Beyond Mom (http://beyondmom.com/)

Jen is a mom and a freelance corporate writer who talks about everything a work-at-home-mom can relate to.

43. Mommy Cracked (http://www.mommycracked.net/)

Mandy started writing Mommy Cracked in October 2007 as a creative outlet while being a stay at home mom. She quickly learned that blogging is a great way to connect with like-minded others, offered heran opportunity to write and served as an online diary of sorts about her ife, memories, and experiences.

44. Walking With Scissors (http://www.walkingwithscissorsblog.com/)

Lynn is a thirtysomething, overprotective stay-at-home mom with a burning desire for attention. She loves her camera, summer, Butter Chicken, Cabbage Patch Kids, reading, throwing passive-aggressive tantrums when she’s upset, hanging out with my girlfriends, ice cream, thunder storms and sunglasses.

45. Melia Lore (http://melialore.com/)

Student, feminist, mother to four, and founder of Hippymom.com; Melia Lore chronicles her adventures as she attempts to juggle her family and several online businesses.

46. Six Browns (http://www.6browns.com/)

Despite her struggles with infertility, Sandi and her husband have grown their family through both medical treatments and adoption. They have three princesses and a new little boy recently adopted from Ethiopia. The action never ends at the Brown House.

47. Blog That Mommy! (http://www.blogthatmommy.blogspot.com/)

Neila left Corporate America four years ago to be a stay-at-home mom. It is the most rewarding, fulfilling, and frustrating job she’s ever had. She started a blog because she has a serious lack of adult interaction.

48. Pundit Mom (http://punditmom1.blogspot.com/)

Joanne Bamberger is also known as PunditMom, a politically progressive mom AND political analyst living in the shadow of the nation’s capital. PunditMom blog is a mother’s guide to politics and a place for women to get their political fix and discuss their political ideas.

49. The Redneck Mommy (http://theredneckmommy.com/)

“Where Dirt Meets the Skirt.” Tanis Miller dreams of world domination while blogging in Canada. She and her family are also supporters of several charities.

50. CityMama (http://citymama.typepad.com/citymama/)

Stefania Pomponi Butler, founder and owner of the CityMama™ blog, is proud mother; and a professional writer and blog editor/producer who covers style, food, pop culture, and (of course) parenting with a cheeky twist. She often speaks on blog-related topics.

Do you have a favorite “mommy blog” that wasn’t mentioned on our list? Leave us a comment and let us know who we’re missing out on reading!

15 Online Resources for Women in Business

A mere 90 years ago, women did not even have the right to vote in this country.  Since that time, women have not only gained the right to vote but have made huge strides in every facet of society, including business.  While there is still a long way to go to ensure women receive equal pay and are given the same opportunities as men; March celebrates women’s achievements and women’s history.  In honor of Women’s History Month and International Women’s History Day (March 8), I’d like to highlight 15 excellent online resources for women in business:

1. Woman Owned (http://www.womanowned.com/)

WomanOwned.com was founded in 1997 by Christina Blenk as a resource for other women business owners online.  As a new business owner, Christina shared with her visitors the wisdom that she was learning through her own experiences. She still owns and operates her own web development studio in Columbus, Ohio.  If you want to find out more about how Christina started her business, take the Business Quiz - she developed the quiz and the commentary directly from her own experiences.

2. Count Me In  (http://www.makemineamillion.org/)

Count Me In for Women’s Economic Independence is the leading national not-for-profit provider of resources, business education and community support for women entrepreneurs seeking to grow micro businesses to million dollar enterprises.

3. Franchise Solutions for Women (http://www.womensfranchises.com/index.cfm/fa/about)

Franchise Solutions for Women is geared toward everyone, from the mother looking for supplemental income, to the career sales executive who wants to build her own empire using franchises as a foundation. The variety of franchises represented is the same that are available to men. The only difference is, Franchise Solutions for Women uses case studies and interviews to highlight women owned franchises with which women are finding noteworthy success.

4. Catalyst  (http://www.catalyst.org/)

Founded in 1962, Catalyst is the leading nonprofit membership organization working globally with businesses and the professions to build inclusive workplaces and expand opportunities for women and business.

5. Freelance Mom  (http://www.freelancemom.com/)

A community based site for work and home mothers and home business owners with a forum, business directory, and resource area.

6. Life Tools for Women  (http://www.lifetoolsforwomen.com/index.htm)

A one-stop women’s resource center providing articles, books and links with the latest information on health, family & relationships, business, faith, personal growth, fashion, and home decorating. Life Tools.   The goal is to provide busy women like you with practical resources that will help you find your purpose, build better relationships and achieve success in every area of life.

7. Women-21  (http://www.women-21.gov/)

Official government website offering resources for the 6.2 million women-owned firms currently employing 9.2 million people and generating sales of $1.15 trillion.

8. Mom Inventors (http://www.mominventors.com/)

The mission of Mom Inventors, Inc. is to develop, manufacture, and sell quality Mom Invented™ branded products throughout the United States and Europe; To help inventors take their products from concept to market by providing a highly informative, interactive community-based website and offering the best inventor-education services in the field; And, to highlight and publicize the historical and present-day inventive contributions of moms by both licensing products invented by moms and publicly crediting them for their inventions.

9. WomensBiz.us (http://www.womensbiz.us/)

Provides meaningful, up-to-the-minute information about women in business…to women in business and educates, inspires and connects top women professionals and business owners to one another and to give them a more powerful voice.

10. Women’s Business Development Center (http://www.wbdc.org/)

The Women’s Business Development Center (WBDC) is the oldest, largest, most comprehensive, and successful women’s business assistance center in the United States. They are nationally and internationally recognized for their responsive, innovative, and effective programs and advocacy efforts.

11. Home Based Working Moms  (http://www.hbwm.com/)

Home-Based Working Moms (HBWM.com), founded in 1995, is a professional association and online community of parents who work at home and those who would like to. HBWM is an advocate for home employment & home business to allow parents to spend more time with their family.

12. Ladies Who Launch  (http://www.ladieswholaunch.com/)

Ladies Who Launch is the first new media company to provide resources and connections for women entrepreneurs. Women are launching businesses at twice the rate of men, and they are doing it primarily for lifestyle reasons–they want more freedom, flexibility, and creativity in their lives.  The Ladies Who Launch mission is to make entrepreneurship accessible to any woman with a project, dream or aspiration to start her own business and be successful. We have found a definitive link between launching a business and higher self-esteem and happiness; it is our hope that women will come to Ladies Who Launch and take advantage of our trusted community, tools, resources and success stories and live their dreams.

13. SBA Women’s Centers  (http://www.sba.gov/aboutsba/sbaprogr…wbc/index.html)

The women’s business section of the Small Business Administration; offers guidance, resources, information on funding and government contracts for women-owned businesses.

14. Working Mother (http://www.workingmother.com/)

Workingmother.com is the modern mom’s online resource for how to stay balanced–with style! With a focus on balancing work with family (while leaving time for you) they’ve gathered all the best solutions and recommendations they can to serve and inspire the working mother community.  Workingmother.com covers health, careers, parenting, relationships, organization, beauty, fashion (and much more).  Theirreader-generated momblogs have become an online forum for moms to make sense of the joy and exasperation inherent in being a working mom.

15. WWork (http://www.wwork.com/)

Dedicated to helping women-owned home-based businesses determine the best possible business for them and getting it established.  Includes an excellent blog written by site founder Susan Smith.

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